Hearts, Candy, and Lots of Love

Valentine's Day 

is hands down one of our favorite holidays of the year! 

Though the origins of the holiday may be a point of debate for many, for us Valentine's Day is just another excuse to celebrate the love of God. 

Any excuse to do that is A.O.K. in our book!

This year was our second annual Valentine's Day party!!

Usually, it's just a family affair, but this year we had the pleasure of 

a little guest!

So here are my hearts, sweet as candy, 

the ones I love!

 

 

 

Cuteness At Christmas Time!!

Truly one of the things I've enjoyed the most over this Christmas break has been great opps to wear cute clothes!                                                              (Oh, how HAPPY it makes me!!) 

Unfortunately, the photography this go 'round was far from awe-inspiring. Def had some camera issues. But let's celebrate cute kids in cute clothes anyway!! Hey, it's Christmas!!

So here's a touch of the cuteness that's been goin' down 

at my house. :)  

I so dig this tunic!! Large colorful prints on a neutral gray background are just yummy!

When having my little one rock a wide cut tunic, it works best to pair it with a straight skirt like this one versus an A-line skirt. 

TIP ALERT: MOMMAS PLEASE, PLEASE GET YOUR MONEY'S WORTH AND TIME'S WORTH OUT OF THE CLOTHES YOU BUY!! 

Use a long sleeve shirt, turtleneck or fab little jacket with otherwise springy or summery 

shirts like this tunic to bring season-necessary warmth. 

(If the goal of the ensemble is attractiveness, please, please take a moment to select a long sleeve shirt/jacket that visually either adds to or remains neutral with the item to which you're adding for the purpose of warmth. You want whatever you add to it to look like you bought it that way or that it came that way. That's when you know you've struck some element harmony!)

Pair it with FABULOUS tights like these from welovecolors.com and rock those cutie cute threads YEAR LONG!!! 

Check out the scallop-edged pockets!!

Snow boots can be SUCH an outfit distraction. It's so great when you can find some like these in a great neutral like chocolate brown that can be functional and attractive with many different outfits!!

I found these at one of my fave children's second-hand stores, Once Upon A Child.

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I LOVE THIS SWEATER!!

The right tights in the perfect shade can strike such a delightful note for a girl's outfit!!       

                                       Where did I get these you ask??? Welovecolors.com, of course!! And good news ladies - they sell women's tights in just as many colors and plus sizes!!! I haven't tried the women's tights yet, but I can definitely attest to the utter splendidness of the girls tights!!                                       

       

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This GapKids skirt is so fabulous I wish I had it. A metallic gold pattern on black of this quality and kind (you'd really have to see it in person) is just so uncommonly found in kid's clothing. I love GapKids as a brand, but their prices - not so much. Found this gem at my fave children's second hand shop, Once Upon A Child; It may have even been brand NEW with tags!! Don't you just LOVE when that happens!?!

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And because there's something soooo cute about a little guy in pajamas........  :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS 
& HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

So In Love...

This is hands down one of my favorite photo shoots to date. The clothes and the way my little ones are captured...it all just makes this post an absolute celebration of the ones with whom I am so in love.

You may notice that rarely (like never) do all the pieces of their ensembles come from the same place. That, for me, has actually been part of the key to putting things together to my eye's pleasure. Here's some of the things I do:

• Patience. Wait for what you love. Wait for the sale, wait for the availability, wait for tax returns (lbvs), wait for clearance, wait even to find it thrifting!! Good things can definitely come to those who wait.
• Keeping on the look out. I'm always shopping. Even when I'm not shopping.
• Buying what I need & like at the price I need EVEN IF THEY CAN'T FIT IT YET!  
• Staples. I always buy certain things in certain colors -  chino pants in khaki, black, navy, and brown, for instance. 
• Take care of what you have. Even be careful how you wash and dry their clothing. (I am really big on air drying to preserve the quality and color of the fabric!) I put a lot of effort into taking care of their clothing, etc. I also teach them to be mindful of their things as well. (It's a valuable life lesson!! Might as well start now!!) When your things last longer and look great, you don't have to buy quite as much in order to have more to choose from when putting ensembles together.
• And Building - a piece here, a piece there...until the Lord shows me how to pull it all together!

 

 

 









 

Coordinating ensembles can be a challenge when you have opposite gender kiddos, but it's oh so doable.  I advise thinking outside of the box and constructing your own ensembles (versus using the pre-coordinated outfits that you sometimes see at companies like Gymboree - which I also love). Use the flair of their individual personalities and the styles you've created for them seperately, and put together something fabulous from that standpoint, striking color and texture harmonies.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                     

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

my inheritance, my cubs, my little ducklings, my shadows, my little loves...

The Little Gent

Cap: The Children's Place

Navy Bow Tie: Handmade from Etsy

Burgundy and Navy Cardigan: Gymboree (? not entirely sure)
White Oxford Shirt: Not sure about  this one, but Children's Place carries great ones!

Navy Pants: The Children's Place

Brown Shoes: Sears (got 'em for 10 bucks on clearance!!)

The Little Lady

Berry Pink Sequin Hat: Target (loved it!! Nothing like sequins to glam it up and make a personality like this                                                          little girl's shine through!)

Cream Ruffle Front Shirt: Target (I love layering textures, even similar textures like the ruffled shirt and cardi                                                          can add some umph!)

Berry Cardigan with Front Ruffle Detail: Old Navy

Blue Jean Prairie Skirt: The Children's Place (such a staple in her wardrobe!! blue jean skirt? Yes! blue jean                                                                          prairie style skirt? Double Yes!! This style in addition to a straight @                                                                                               knee blue jean skirt are just so handy to have.)    

Berry Tights: welovecolors.com (as I've said before, their selection is wide, their colors are rich, and their quality                                                            is superb)

Brown Shoes: Shoe Carnival (brown shoes like these are also another wardrobe staple for us)

#kidsfashion #cutekids #fashion #momblog #photograpgyblog #fashionblog #childfashion #children'sfashion #kidswithswag #swag